BR Steam in Colour: London to Aberdeen from the Bill Reed Collection

This rare and evocative collection of colour photographs from the 1950s and ’60s was chosen from many hundreds of 35-mm colour slides taken by veteran railway photographer, Bill Reed, on and off the East Coast Main Line between London and Aberdeen. This was a pivotal moment in the history of locomotion; the archetypal steam engine, an emblem of Britain’s national character, was rapidly succumbing to new diesel-powered engineering.

Steam’s fading glory is reflected in the grimy condition of many of the locomotives in this collection – a number were photographed on the scrap line – and the contrast of hulking coal hoppers and water tanks to the comparatively slick new diesels is very apparent. But despite the obvious decline of steam locomotion, the engines within these pages are still redolent of an age of industrial magnificence.

Looking back now, Bill says he wishes he had taken many more pictures of steam locomotives, but thankfully he has taken enough to show us why they will always be cherished in photographs and preserved in museums. Paired with Peter Tuffrey’s impeccably researched captions, this collection of colour photographs is a fine tribute to the last days of steam.

THE AUTHOR

Peter Tuffrey was born in Doncaster in 1953. He studied Fine Art at Doncaster College of Art and then at Leeds University until 1974. He was Keeper of Fine and Decorative Arts at Doncaster Museum and Art Gallery 1975-1995; freelance writer 1995-2000, PR Media Consultant for Doncaster Rovers 2000- 2002; and Area Manager for the Music Ground Group of Companies 2003-2010. He is now working as a freelance writer.

He has produced over 80 publications featuring the Doncaster area as well as Nottingham, Sheffield, and the Yorkshire area in general. He has also written many articles for local and regional newspapers and has recently penned a novel Angel from the Gutter.